car dies in stop/go traffic

ASSISTANCE Stock Engine-Bay Components
1

Hey forum.

So it fking happened again, taking my sister to class and my 90 DA sputtered off, barely made it into a parking lot. But when she cools down after an hour she starts right back up like nothing happened!

I recently rebuilt my distributor with a new coil pack, and igniter/icm with fresh thermal compound on the ICM.

Now obviously i searched and found all kinds of info, and honestly this is one of the most difficult things to troubleshoot, i get no CEL, (obd 0). And this issue seemed to have gotten worse, it used to be that she wouldnt start when hot, after a short drive, now she dies while driving slow or stop/go traffic and wont start back up until she cools, i also take the negative off the battery.

Parts replaced in the last 3 years that might be related:
Fuel pump/sock
Main relay
Fuel filter
*I also use injector cleaner once a month
NGK plugs/wires
New coil pack/ICM

Things i suspect but I’m not sure on:
Timing, ignition/mechanical. I wasnt able to get my car timed since shorting the jumper in the passenger footwell does nothing.

Throttle Position Sensor, i also have a slight hesitation when accelerating sometimes.

Coolant Temp Sensor, from my exp with Euro cars, these sensors tell the ECU the car is a lot hotter than it is and will keep the car from starting.

Fuel injectors, lord i hope not $_$

Being unemployed i don’t have the funds to just guess and throw parts at the car.

Side note, and maybe unrelated but when i shut the engine off i don’t hear that sucking/vacuum sound coming from the intake like i used to.

Thanks for reading my novel, and please leave your feedback, the info im getting from web searches and friends is all over the place!

2

Check your engine ground wires.

3

Thanks for the idea, and clever name 2ndJenn, love it :smiley:

So you suspect the issue might be grounding related? You gotta remember that the car starts again after she cools down for 45 minutes or so.

Do you know where I might find all grounding spots on an Auto 90 DA?

Does anyone here know if the Coolant Temp Sensor might be the cause of this? Or maybe my timing being too far off.

I really need to get this narrowed down, shes my only transportation and family is counting on me to keep her running! (getting my sister to class twice a week and groceries for my mom.)

4

Resolved

It turned out to be a clogged catalytic converter, it was causing my idle to fluctuate, burning smell under the hood, and as stated in the OT stall out the engine, gutted my cat and the idle is rock solid, burning smell also greatly diminished.

I actually had to readjust my idle because it was set so high to compensate.